Guardian Life Insurance

Founded over 150 years ago, Guardian Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life and long-term care insurance, disability income, dental insurance, mutual funds, annuities, 401(k), and other financial products and trust services.

In 1925, Guardian converted from a mixed stock and mutual company to a wholly mutual company. As of December 31, 2010, Guardian and its subsidiaries reports over $33 billion in total admitted assets on a consolidated statutory basis, and statutory income before dividends of $1.1 billion, up 6.6% from the prior year. The company declared record distribution of dividends to policyholders of $740 million for 2010. Guardian concluded 2010 with risk based capital (RBC Ratio) of 492%, which reflects one of the strongest capital positions in the life insurance industry. Guardian’s high ratings were affirmed by all four ratings agencies in 2010. The company is the only life insurer to be upgraded by two rating agencies in 2008, and affirmed in 2009 and 2010 demonstrating strong stability in investment performance, capital position, risk management, and operating performance. The company has more than 5,000 employees in the United States, and a network of 3,200 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide.

Who we are

Guardian was founded by Hugo Wesendonck in 1860 in New York. At the time, it was called The Germania Life Insurance Company of New York.

Within two short years, the company began opening agencies across the country. We even served policyowners in Colorado, the Dakotas, New Mexico, and Arizona, long before these territories became states.

In 1868, Germania became the first U.S. insurance company to start an agency in Europe. By the early 1900s, almost half of its business was outside North America, until the pressures of World War I forced it to stop writing business in Europe.

In 1917, the company changed its name to The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

In 1925, Guardian converted from a mixed stock and mutual company to a wholly mutual company. As such, we have no stockholders or private owners. The policyholders own the company and profits are distributed to them in the form of dividends on policies.